Melodee Buzzard’s grandmother in Lompoc dismisses insanity plea, alleging premeditation in the girl’s murder
Grandmother Believes Mother Planned Attack on Melodee Buzzard
The grandmother of slain California girl Melodee Buzzard believes the child’s mother “planned” the attack. She added that an insanity plea should not apply to the case.
Lilly Denes, Melodee’s paternal grandmother, spoke with reporters on January 7 after Ashlee Buzzard’s court appearance at the Lompoc County Court.
Ashlee Buzzard is accused of murdering Melodee and leaving her body in Utah. Buzzard has pleaded not guilty.
Denes expressed her opinion on a possible insanity plea, stating, “I don’t think that’s right because she planned everything.”
Details of the Case
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 7 | Buzzard rented a car for a multi-state trip with Melodee. |
| October 30 | Investigators searched Buzzard’s home and found an expended cartridge case. |
| December 6 | Melodee’s remains were found in Utah. |
| January 21 | Buzzard’s next court hearing is scheduled. |
Buzzard is accused of renting a car on October 7 before going on a multi-state road trip with Melodee. Security footage from the car rental agency in Lompoc showed both Buzzard and Melodee wearing wigs. Buzzard later allegedly switched license plates on the rental vehicle to avoid detection.
Denes recalled meeting Buzzard nine or ten years ago, saying, “When my son brought her to the house, she was really quiet and just looking at me from head to toe.” Denes questioned her son’s choice, saying, “I told my son, ‘Mijo, is this lady, is this girl OK? … She’s just staring.’”
Denes mentioned that her son attributed Buzzard’s behavior to shyness.
As previously reported, investigators found a live round of ammunition inside the rented vehicle. They also found an expended cartridge case inside Buzzard’s home.
On December 6, a couple found Melodee’s remains near East State Route 24 in Wayne County, Utah. Santa Barbara Sheriff Bill Brown stated that Melodee had “gunshot wounds to the head.” He described the killing as “cold-blooded” with “criminally sophisticated premeditation and heartlessness.”
Denes hopes that Buzzard will be charged appropriately, despite expecting an insanity plea. Buzzard remains in custody without bail on charges that include:
- First-degree murder
- Discharge of a firearm causing death
- Special circumstance of murder by lying in wait
The prosecution will not seek the death penalty but will push for life in prison without the possibility of parole. A preliminary hearing will reportedly not take place until after April.
